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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25720858">False Beginnings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwormninja/pseuds/bookwormninja'>bookwormninja</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fake It Til Ya Make It [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Minor Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart, Sharing a Bed, just absolutely clueless cloud lmao</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:00:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,642</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25720858</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwormninja/pseuds/bookwormninja</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zack had never intended for this to happen. These kinds of things didn’t happen to real people. They only happened in those silly books Aerith would have him read out loud to her flowers.</p><p>But here he was, reminding himself that he was supposed to be focusing on Aerith being walked down the aisle, instead of his best friend standing across from him.</p><p> </p><p>Asking his best friend to be his fake boyfriend had started out so simply.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Zack Fair/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fake It Til Ya Make It [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865629</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>120</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Slice of Clack: July 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>False Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My late submission to Slice of Clack Week 3: Cliches<br/>Love a good old fake relationship AU!</p><p>It's been a long while since I've written anything but SOC seemed like a fun time to get start again (albeit I'm late as hell since it's officially over and this was supposed to be for week 3, lol). Anyway, I had fun writing this and hope you have fun reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zack had never intended for this to happen. These kinds of things didn’t happen to real people. They only happened in those silly books Aerith would have him read out loud to her flowers.</p><p>But here he was, reminding himself that he was supposed to be focusing on Aerith being walked down the aisle, instead of his best friend standing across from him.</p><p>Asking his best friend to be his fake boyfriend had started out so simply. He’d just wanted his parents to get off his back about his relationship status, that was all. The only problem was he never found a good time or way to stop the charade, and Cloud never pressed or questioned. </p><p>He’d actually agreed quicker than Zack would have expected. He remembered how Cloud had just laughed and easily accepted his proposition, joking that now Zack couldn’t refuse if Cloud wanted him to foot the bill when they went out to eat. Which was just fine in Zack’s book. He could spend a little extra on his best bud for his troubles.</p><p>Over time, their little arrangement had become another fun game between the two of them. The only one who knew the full truth of the matter was Aerith, so they made it a challenge to be as cheesy and corny as they could reasonably get away with when in public or hanging with friends. </p><p>He did find it a bit odd that no one blinked an eye at hearing they were “dating,” some even said they were waiting for them to get together (Zack was sure he even saw money exchange hands). All in all, nothing much changed between Cloud and him aside from randomly surprising each other at work with a bouquet of flowers, or a lingering touch here and there when in the company of friends and especially Zack’s parents. </p><p>Zack had never thought of his best friend like that. Spending the night at his best bud’s place, sharing space and hanging all over each other was so routine for him, he couldn’t imagine that ever taking on any meaning other than “bros being close as hell.”</p><p>But one night, things just felt different. It was like the moon was brighter, somehow? The moonlight filtering in through the window fell across Cloud’s face, highlighting his features face in a way that made Zack pause. He’d never considered himself to be a romantic, but there was no other way to describe his friend in that moment other than beautiful. Even with his terrible bedhead and the tiniest bit of drool shining at the corner of his mouth. </p><p>It wasn’t until the next day that he realized what those thoughts truly meant. He was in love. With his best friend. Who he’d been fake dating for months. </p><p>He was an idiot. </p><p>After he took a few days to process the information and confirm that yes he was deeply in love with his best friend and probably had been for a while, he thought that maybe he should say something to Cloud. It was only right that the guy he was fake dating knew he wanted to for real date him. </p><p>So he did, took the man by the hands and told him straight to his face “I love you.” To which Cloud replied “I know,” throwing Zack for a loop. He’d coughed to cover his surprise, not expecting that answer. </p><p>“Y-you do?” Eyes wide, Zack searched the other’s face to see if it really was just that easy to tell your best friend you’re in love with them for realsies.</p><p>“Uh, yeah you say it all the time,” Cloud said, tilting his head and giving Zack a look. “Kinda weird to say it now though, since no one’s here.”</p><p>Ah, Cloud thought he was still playing pretend. </p><p>“No, for real. Cloud. I love you.” Maybe saying it again would help. </p><p>“I love you too, man.” It didn’t. Of course not. </p><p>Going to Aerith didn’t help at all. She’d laughed, said she knew this would happen (he’d told her he needed his parents to get off his case but didn’t feel like actually finding anyone, and she was the one who’d suggested just asking a friend to help) and went right back to tending her flowers without offering any advice at all. Well, she didn’t offer any useful advice. A real piece of work, when she wanted to be. </p><p>He’d hoped things would be different with Tifa, her being Cloud’s closest friend aside from Zack himself and all. She didn’t have any further insight into how to get Cloud to actually believe him, either. She’d had her own share of troubles breaking through his stubbornness throughout their friendship. Once Cloud decided something to be true, especially when it came to other people’s feelings about him, it was hard to convince him otherwise. </p><p>At least she looked somewhat sympathetic as he slumped over the bar in defeat. She gently ruffled his hair and slid him something to drink, free of charge as consolation before going back to her patrons for the rest of the evening.</p><p> Maybe this was the gods punishing him for being dishonorable and lying for so long. Or maybe Tifa and Aerith were just having fun at his expense. It was hard to tell with them. They were a dangerous and unpredictable force, those two. </p><p>He was on his own after that, trying his damnedest to get his ridiculously stubborn best friend to believe that he loved him, like loved him loved him. </p><p> </p><p>He’d tried taking Cloud on dates to nice restaurants. If he could just get them both into a romantic atmosphere, maybe the message would land how he wanted.</p><p>It was nice, going to places that weren’t greasy pit stops they would normally hit before making their way to hang out at one of their apartments after work. Zack typically didn’t have many reasons to dress things up, so it was a change of pace to break out a nice blazer or vest combo in his efforts to impress. Cloud only gave him a funny look when he first suggested that they go to a nicer spot and to dress up a bit, but he didn’t seem put out by it at all. He even seemed excited at the idea, which Zack figured was a good sign.</p><p>It was after about 3 such “dates” that he realized Cloud was still not picking up what he was putting down. Apparently he was under the assumption that they were only making their way through the list of “To Visit Someday” restaurants they’d been compiling in Cloud’s notes app over the years. On top of that, it was hard to be romantic while trying not to choke on some dish they couldn’t pronounce laughing as discreetly as they could about other restaurant-goers. It was normal, not romantic.</p><p>There was nothing romantic about their dinners at all, unless you were Zack and you couldn’t help but want to reach out and wipe away the little tears forming at the corner of your friend’s eyes as he caught his breath. Unless you were Zack and you wanted to keep that smile breaking across your best friend’s face in your pocket forever. If he spent more time these days staring than normal (he absolutely was), Cloud never mentioned it.</p><p>There was even the night that Cloud stayed over (sometimes their game nights would go late, and it’d be too dark out or Cloud would be too tired to make his way back home and he’d just stay over with Zack) and he’d tucked Cloud in with a soft kiss. Cloud only smiled, said goodnight, and turned over to go to sleep. He really hadn’t thought all the affection they’d engaged in for the ruse would come back to bite him in the ass like this.</p><p>If he wasn’t so completely infatuated with every aspect of the man, he may have gotten frustrated with Cloud’s stubborn aloofness. Maybe he would have moved on by now. That was one of the things Zack loved the most about him, though. Cloud was awkward, closed off, and mistrusting in general, but also the most loyal friend one could ever find. Cloud was the type who’d go to the ends of the planet for his people, and Zack would do the exact same for him. </p><p> </p><p>But now here he was, watching Tseng walk his other best friend down the aisle to her soon-to-be-wife while he tried not to think too hard about how the love of his life was still unaware of his feelings. At least the wedding was nice. </p><p>Aerith and Tifa were the type to have zero patience for a long engagement, so when they decided they were ready to take their relationship to the next level they put plans in place immediately for a wedding on the beach. There’d been about three weeks between the announcement and the ceremony. Zack assumed the impatience was mainly on Aerith’s part, as she’d already switched to calling Tifa her wife at any possible moment since the announcement. </p><p>Not much for expense and fanfare, the girls only needed a few days to take everyone in their respective wedding parties shopping for something to loosely fit the theme of “flowers”. A quick favor was called in to secure hotel reservations so the whole group of friends could stay overnight to enjoy a day in the sun in lieu of a traditional wedding celebration. </p><p>The quick preparations meant that Zack and Cloud barely had time to see each other- Zack was busy taking orders from Aerith as part of her wedding party and Cloud was in Tifa’s. He didn’t even get the chance to see what Tifa’s crew (mainly Cloud) would be wearing prior to the wedding. </p><p>And now, it felt like he physically couldn’t stop staring at Cloud. How could he not, when the man looked absolutely incredible in one of the flowy dresses most of Tifa’s party wore. Barret and Denzel had flowers tucked into the pockets of their vest matching the colors of Marlene, Cloud, and Yuffie’s dresses.</p><p>Aerith’s party was made up of Turks who wore their other Turk suit for the occasion. It was clear Tifa and Aerith had a lot of fun with Tifa’s bridal party instead. The Turks were convinced to wear at least one flower each, tucked into their pockets. Zack wore a whole crown, much to Aerith’s delight. </p><p>Zack had a clear line of sight of Cloud, so he was able to catch the soft smile on his face as he watched Barret walk Tifa down the aisle earlier. Zack loved that little smile the most, probably because the man likely didn’t even realize he was doing it. He was such a secret softie. Precious.</p><p>The ceremony was absolutely lovely, and so very Aerith and Tifa- once the vows were said, they immediately headed to goof around in the ocean, wedding dresses be damned. Cloud and Zack ended up getting into an intense game of competitive sand castle building, and it was put to a group vote to determine who was the winner before everyone retired for a night in a hotel off the beach. Zack was sure that had Yuffie not “accidentally” knocked into his creation, he would’ve won. Seeing Cloud’s smug look of victory was enough consolation for his hurt ego, though. </p><p>This was getting out of hand, and apparently the universe (or Aerith, he suspected) was plotting against him because of course everyone was pairing up for the hotel room stay. He’d known he would be paired with Cloud, but he didn’t know until Aerith informed him way too nonchalantly that their room was the last available. And only had one bed. Aerith was a devil, he was sure.</p><p>Absolute torture it was, settling into bed for the night next to his best-friend-turned-love-of-his-life, aching to hold him. He reflected long into the night how Cloud showed no signs of objection or even his usual shyness, a sure sign that he was not feeling any of the things that Zack felt laying next to him. He stayed up a few more hours, listening to Cloud’s soft breaths as he decided that after tonight he would try his best to move on from his crush. He just needed a bit more time to play pretend. </p><p> </p><p>After the wedding Zack tried his best to keep some distance from Cloud, to give himself time to figure out how to go back to seeing him as “just his best friend”. He figured he only needed a day to sort himself out, but once it had reached 3 days since the two had seen each other Zack found himself answering the door to a very flustered Cloud.</p><p>“You actually meant it. Like, for real,” Cloud had barely entered the apartment before he started talking, words coming out in a rush. </p><p>“Meant what, exactly?” Zack was thrown off by some emotion in Cloud’s voice that he couldn’t quite place. Not sure if he should be concerned, he tried to direct the other to a seat on the couch but was brushed off. Cloud stood square in front of him, eyes boring right into his own.</p><p>“You love me.”</p><p>“Oh,” Zack broke eye contact first. It wasn’t often that he found himself without words, but the universe had the funniest timing. It took a second before he realized Cloud was waiting for confirmation, though his statement wasn’t a question. </p><p>“Um, yeah. I do. Or, did. I mean I do but you don’t have to feel responsible for how I-” He could feel his scrambling mind come to a full halt as Cloud cut him off with a kiss. Cloud. Was kissing him. Cloud. Kiss. </p><p>Having successfully silenced him, Cloud stepped back so Zack could jump start his brain again. He blinked once, twice, before a cautious smile settled on his face. He finally took in Cloud’s fully red face and slightly tense shoulders. Still so cute. </p><p>“So I take it you finally believe me, huh?” Zack slowly reached for one of Cloud’s hands to hold, giving him time to pull away before locking their fingers together. Cloud’s face only got redder, spreading to his ears. Zack’s smile grew stronger when he felt Cloud squeeze his hand, even as he avoided his eyes. </p><p>“I kinda feel like an idiot,” Cloud admitted softly. “I really thought you were still just going along with things because I liked doing them. Aerith kinda helped me figure things out just before the wedding, but I didn’t know how to bring it up and we didn’t really see much of each other even after...” Cloud trailed off as Zack used their intertwined hands to tug him closer, his other hand softly cupping the side of his face. </p><p>Zacks gently tilted Cloud’s head so that it was harder for him to look away, thumb gently caressing his friend’s cheek.</p><p>“Soooo,” Zack couldn’t help but feel a little mix of both cocky and giddy that was obvious in his voice. “You liked fake dating me, huh?” He laughed as Cloud half-heartedly tried shifting to hide his eyes again. That was a yes, then. </p><p>“What would you say to making this real?” Zack hadn’t known that Cloud could blush up to his ears until that moment. He was almost too preoccupied with being this close to those eyes he loved so much to catch his small nod. He could feel Cloud lean more into his touch, that soft smile he loved so much just barely forming. </p><p>“I love you.” Zack closed the gap between their mouths again, hoping Cloud could feel his relief, his love, his pure joy through the firm press of lips. </p><p> </p><p>He figured maybe now he understood a little of what the people in Aerith’s romance books felt.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I originally intended for this to just be the one standalone chapter, but there's so much I didn't add here that I had come up with in the brainstorming process with my friend that I think I'll write maybe one or two additions from different POVs (Cloud and then Aerith). </p><p>If you wanna talk abt my notes app of 13 (and counting!) fic ideas in an effort to motivate me to write them, catch me on twitter as ogbookwormninja</p></blockquote></div></div>
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